Kidd to Dallas

Mark Cuban pulled the trigger on a deal he said had no legs and it looks a little like a panic move in the wake of the Gasol and Shaq deals.

I like Jason Kidd. However, I also like Devin Harris and I'm not sure Jkidd is an improvement over Harris at this point in their careers. The Mavs, though a relatively young team, made a move which suggests they are in a win-now mode, as Kidd does not have many more miles left on his legs.

Does Kidd make the Mavs better? Yes and no. Jason Terry can match-up against PGs and JKidd can play the shooting guard. However, that means Kidd has to guard Kobe vs. the Lakers. Kidd moves the ball and has a reputation for making his teammates better. However, Dallas is a better team when Harris was on the floor.

The key to the deal may end up being Jerry Stackhouse. The Nets plan to release him. Why, I don't know. Especially if they deal Carter for Jermaine O'Neal, Stack seems like a perfect replacement. Harris, Stack, Jefferson, O'Neal and Kristic with Diop, Boone, Marcus Williams on the bench. That's a play-off team, and an improved team moving forward.

But, the Nets dump Stack. He cannot re-sign with Dallas for 30 days. How tempting is joining Phoenix or San Antonio for the play-off run? Can you imagine Stackhouse on the Suns as a back-up for Bell and Hill on the wing? Or, in San Antonio to spell Ginobili and Bowen? If he wants to win a championship, signing with one of those two teams makes more sense than Dallas, imo, as even after the trade, Dallas is at best the fourth best team in the Western Conference, once everyone gets healthy. Does Kidd make the Mavs better than the Suns, Lakers or Spurs? What about the Jazz and the Hornets?

Trading Diop hurts the Mavs interior defense. They have Dampier, but will now rely even more heavily on Brandon Bass. They added Antoine Wright who gives them some more depth on the perimeter, at least while Stack is away.

Maybe this is a gamble the Mavs felt they had to make. However, I don't think it makes them a championship contender or has the same impact as the Gasol or Shaq acquisitions. And, the Nets have to be happy about acquiring a good, young PG and some cap space. It will be interesting to see where Diop lands in the off-season, as he has developed into a nice role player.

I reserve judgement until Stackhouse makes a decision. But, if I am Phoenix or the Spurs, I'm on the phone with his agent. Or, Danny Ferry with the Cavs. Add Stack to Hughes and LeBron on the wings: it doesn't help their PG problems, but it sure gives them another weapon off the bench. Stackhouse is a veteran player than any play-off contender will covet. It will be interesting to see how loyal he stays to the Mavs.